JP2016163375A - Power unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power unit which enables reduction of a risk that a conductor related to a fan unit contacts with an electric circuit component.SOLUTION: A fan unit generates airflow in a first direction. A guide structure supports the fan unit, allows movement of the fan unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and restrains a position of the fan unit in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction and in the first direction. Restraint members limit movement of the fan unit supported by the guide structure in the second direction. The guide structure includes a first portion having a plate-like shape, arranged perpendicular to the first direction, and defining a guide surface which guides the fan unit in the second direction. The restraint members are disposed at the same side as the fan unit relative to the guide surface of the first portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a power device including a cooling fan unit.

  A power supply device in which a fan unit is mounted on a printed board is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. One flat plate of the L-shaped bracket is attached to the printed board, and the fan unit is attached to the other vertical flat plate. The fan unit is fixed to the vertical flat plate of the L-shaped bracket by screws passed through a through hole in a direction parallel to the direction of the airflow.

JP 2001-314074 A

  The tip of the screw that attaches the fan unit to the L-shaped metal fitting is screwed into the screw hole of the vertical flat plate of the L-shaped metal fitting, or penetrates the vertical flat plate and is tightened with a nut. In either case, the tip of the screw protrudes from the vertical flat plate. When the electric circuit component is mounted in the vicinity of the vertical flat plate, the distance from the electric circuit component to the tip of the screw as a conductor is shorter than the distance from the electric circuit component to the vertical flat plate. For this reason, the danger of a contact with an electrical circuit component and a conductor increases.

  The objective of this invention is providing the electric power apparatus which can reduce the danger of the contact with the conductor in connection with a fan unit, and an electric circuit component.

According to one aspect of the invention,
A fan unit that generates airflow in a first direction;
The fan unit is supported, allowed to move in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction. 3 and a guide structure that restrains the position of the fan unit with respect to the first direction;
A restraining member that restricts movement of the fan unit supported by the guide structure in the second direction;
The guide structure includes a flat plate-like first portion that defines a guide surface that is orthogonal to the first direction and guides the fan unit in the second direction;
The power device is provided in which the restraining member is disposed on the same side as the fan unit with respect to the guide surface of the first portion.

  With respect to the first direction, the restraining member is disposed in the space where the fan unit is disposed with respect to the guide surface of the first portion, and thus the space where the fan unit is disposed with respect to the guide surface Can prevent the distance between the electric circuit component disposed in the opposite space and the restraining member from approaching.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an air cooling device mounted on a power device according to an embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fan unit and guide structure of the air cooling apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fan unit and a guide structure of an air cooling device using an elastic member as a restraining member. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a power device according to an embodiment. FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are schematic cross-sectional views of a cooling device mounted on a power device according to a comparative example and an example, and a bus bar, respectively. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a guide structure of a cooling device mounted on a power device according to another embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, the disassembled perspective view of the cooling device mounted in the electric power apparatus by an Example is shown. The cooling device includes a fan unit 10 and a guide structure 20. The fan unit 10 is supported by the guide structure 20 and mounted on the power device. Although two fan units 10 are shown in FIG. 1, the number of fan units 10 may be one or three or more.

  The fan unit 10 includes a rotor blade 11 and a frame 12. A rotary blade 11 is rotatably attached to the frame 12. An xyz orthogonal coordinate system is defined in which the direction of airflow generated by the rotor blade 11 is the x direction. The frame 12 has a front surface 121 facing the negative x-axis direction, a rear surface facing the positive direction (not shown in FIG. 1), an upper surface 123 facing the positive z-axis direction, and a negative z-axis direction. It includes a bottom surface (not shown in FIG. 1) and a side surface 124 that faces the positive and negative directions of the y-axis. The outer shape of the front surface 121 and the back surface is a square or a rectangle. A recess 125 is provided on the upper surface 123.

  The frame 12 is provided with a plurality of mounting holes 13 penetrating in the x direction. Generally, the fan unit 10 is fixed to a bracket, a housing, or the like by inserting screws into the mounting holes 13. In the embodiment, these mounting holes 13 are not used.

  The guide structure 20 includes a flat plate-like first portion 21, second portion 22, third portion 23, and fourth portion 24. The first portion 21 and the second portion 22 are perpendicular to the x direction, and the third portion 23 and the fourth portion 24 are perpendicular to the z direction. In a state where the fan unit 10 is supported by the guide structure 20, the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 sandwich the fan unit 10 in the x direction. The third portion 23 and the fourth portion 24 sandwich the fan unit 10 in the z direction. A guide surface for guiding the fan unit 10 in the y direction by the mutually opposing surfaces of the first portion 21 and the second portion and the mutually opposing surfaces of the third portion 23 and the fourth portion 24. Is formed.

  The first portion 21 is continuous from the third portion 23 to the fourth portion 24. The second portion 22 extends in the z direction from the third portion 23 toward the fourth portion, and also extends from the fourth portion 24 toward the third portion 23 in the z direction. The three-dimensional structure including the first portion 21, the second portion 22, the third portion 23, and the fourth portion 24 is produced, for example, by bending a single metal plate.

  An insertion port 25 is defined at the end of the guide structure 20 in the y direction. The fan unit 10 can be inserted from the insertion opening 25 into the guide structure 20 along the y direction. FIG. 1 shows a state before the fan unit 10 is inserted into the guide structure 20. While the fan unit 10 is inserted into the guide structure 20, the fan unit 10 can move in the y direction, but the position in the x direction is restricted by the first portion 21 and the second portion 22, and z Regarding the direction, the position is constrained by the third portion 23 and the fourth portion 24.

  A through hole 26 is formed in the fourth portion 24 corresponding to the fan unit 10. A restraining member 27 is inserted into the through hole 26. The restraining member 27 protrudes from the inner surface (guide surface) of the fourth portion 24. The protruding portion is accommodated in the recess 125 of the fan unit 10. The restraining member 27 is disposed on the same side as the fan unit 10 with respect to the guide surface of the first portion 21, and is not disposed on the side opposite to the fan unit 10. When the fan unit 10 moves in the y direction, the side surface of the recess 125 comes into contact with the protruding portion of the restraining member 27. When the restraining member 27 comes into contact with the side surface of the recess 125, further movement of the fan unit 10 in the y direction is prohibited. Thus, the restraining member 27 restricts the movement of the fan unit 10 in the y direction.

  The through hole 26 may be a screw hole, and a screw may be used as the restraining member 27. By screwing the screw into the through hole 26, the screw as the restraining member 27 is fixed to the guide structure 20. The tip of the screw fits in the recess 125 of the fan unit 10.

  An opening 29 is formed in the first portion 21 at a position corresponding to the air flow path by the fan unit 10. The path of the air flow by the fan unit 10 between the leading edge of one second portion 22 extending from the third portion 23 and the leading edge of the other second portion 22 extending from the fourth portion 24. Is secured. One of the two second portions 22 may be omitted. When the second portion 22 that is continuous with the fourth portion 24 is omitted, there is an air flow path between the edge of the tip of the second portion 22 extending from the third portion 23 and the fourth portion 24. Secured.

  FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the fan unit 10 and the guide structure 20. The fan unit 10 is disposed between the third portion 23 and the fourth portion 24. A restraining member 27 is inserted into a through hole 26 formed in the fourth portion 24. The tip (lower end) of the restraining member 27 protrudes from the inner surface of the fourth portion 24. This protrusion is received in the recess 125 of the fan unit 10. As an example, the side surface of the recess 125 is configured by a part of a cylindrical surface centering on the rotation axis of the rotary blade 11 and a part of a quadrangular prism surface surrounding the attachment hole 13.

  When the fan unit 10 moves in the y direction, the protruding portion of the restraining member 27 contacts the side surface of the recess 125. As a result, the movable range of the fan unit 10 in the y direction is limited.

  FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the fan unit 10 and the guide structure 20 of the embodiment using an elastic member as the restraining member 27. An elastic member 271 is inserted between the frame 12 of the fan unit 10 and the third portion 23. A sheet-like elastic material is used as the elastic member 271. The elastic member 271 between the frame 12 and the third portion 23 is crushed in the z direction and elastically deformed. The movement of the fan unit 10 in the y direction is restricted by the restoring force of the elastic member 271. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the elastic member 271 serves as a restraining member that restrains the movement of the fan unit 10 in the y direction. The elastic member 271 may be inserted between the fourth portion 24 and the frame 12.

  As the restraining member that restrains the movement of the fan unit 10 in the y direction, the screw-like restraining member 27 shown in FIG. 2 and the elastic member 271 shown in FIG. 3 may be used in combination.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a power device according to the embodiment. A heat transfer plate 31 is fixed to the bottom surface of the lower housing 30 that opens upward. A plurality of power modules 32 are attached on the heat transfer plate 31. The power module 32 includes, for example, an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

  A bus bar 33 is connected to each of the power modules 32, and the bus bar 33 extends upward from the power module 32. A plurality of bus bars 33 are continuous with each other above the power module 32. A DC link capacitor 34 disposed on the bus bar 33 is electrically connected to the bus bar 33.

  A cooling device 40 is attached to the heat transfer plate 31. The cooling device 40 includes the fan unit 10 and the guide structure 20 shown in FIG. The guide structure 20 is fixed to the heat transfer plate 31. Various electric circuit components such as the bus bar 33 are arranged in the path of the air flow by the cooling device 40. The opening of the lower housing 30 is closed with a lid 37. Due to the airflow generated by the cooling device 40, the temperature in the space closed by the lower housing 30 and the lid 37 is made uniform.

  With reference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the outstanding effect of the electric power apparatus by an Example is demonstrated.

  FIG. 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooling device 40 and the bus bar 33 mounted on the power device according to the comparative example. One flat plate portion 62 of the L-shaped bracket 60 is fixed to the heat transfer plate 31 (FIG. 4). The fan unit 10 is attached to the vertical portion 61 rising from the flat plate portion 62. The interval between the vertical portion 61 and the bus bar 33 is represented by G1.

  The frame 12 of the fan unit 10 is attached to the vertical portion 61 by a plurality of screws 50 respectively inserted into the plurality of attachment holes 13. The screw 50 is screwed into a screw hole provided in the vertical portion 61. The tip of the screw 50 protrudes from the outer surface of the vertical portion 61 toward the bus bar 33.

  The shortest distance G2 from the tip of the screw 50 to the bus bar 33 is shorter than the distance G1 between the guide structure 20 and the bus bar 33. The shortest distance G2 from the tip of the screw 50 to the bus bar 33 is shorter than the shortest distance between the cooling device 40 and the bus bar 33.

  FIG. 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooling device 40 and the bus bar 33 mounted on the power device according to the embodiment. In the embodiment, the mounting hole 13 formed in the frame 12 is not used. The restraining member 27 that restricts the movement of the fan unit 10 is disposed on the same side as the fan unit 10 with respect to the guide surface of the first portion 21, and is not disposed on the opposite side of the fan unit 10. Thus, there is no protrusion from the outer surface of the first portion 21.

  Since there is no protrusion from the outer surface of the first portion 21, the distance G <b> 1 between the first portion 21 and the bus bar 33 is equal to the shortest distance between the cooling device 40 and the bus bar 33. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5B, it is possible to prevent the spatial distance between the bus bar 33 and the cooling device 40 from being shortened by a mounting screw or the like as compared with the comparative example shown in FIG. 5A. As a result, the occurrence of a failure due to the contact between the bus bar 33 and the metal part can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, in the comparative example shown in FIG. 5A, the fan unit 10 is attached to the L-shaped bracket 60 with a plurality of screws 50. On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 5B, only one screw (restraining member 27) is used to support one fan unit 10 on the guide structure 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, no screws are used to support the fan unit 10. In the embodiment, since the number of screws to be used is smaller than that in the comparative example, the working efficiency of the fan unit 10 mounting work can be increased.

  6A and 6B are perspective views of a guide structure 20 of a cooling device mounted on a power device according to another embodiment. Hereinafter, differences from the guide structure 20 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described, and description of common configurations will be omitted.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the second portion 22 extending from the third portion 23 and the second portion 22 extending from the fourth portion 24 are not connected to each other. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, the second portion 22 is continuous from the third portion 23 to the fourth portion 24. Similar to the first portion 21, an opening 51 is provided in the second portion 22. The opening 51 secures an air flow path.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, the second portion 22 is continuous from the third portion 23 to the fourth portion 24. The first portion 21 is separated into a portion continuous with the third portion 23 and a portion continuous with the fourth portion 24. An electric circuit component such as a bus bar 33 (FIG. 4) is disposed at a position facing the first portion 21.

  Also in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the same effect as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4B and 5B can be obtained.

  Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, improvements, combinations, and the like can be made.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fan 11 Rotor | wing blade 12 Frame 13 Mounting hole 20 Guide structure 21 1st part 22 2nd part 23 3rd part 24 4th part 25 Insertion port 26 Through-hole 27 Restriction member 29 Opening 30 Lower housing | casing 31 Transmission Hot plate 32 Power module 33 Bus bar 34 DC link capacitor 37 Lid 40 Cooling device 50 Screw 51 Opening 60 L-shaped bracket 61 Vertical portion 62 Flat portion 121 Front surface 123 Upper surface 124 Side surface 125 Recessed portion 271 Elastic member

Claims (6)

A fan unit that generates airflow in a first direction;
The fan unit is supported, allowed to move in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction. 3 and a guide structure that restrains the position of the fan unit with respect to the first direction;
A restraining member that restricts movement of the fan unit supported by the guide structure in the second direction;
The guide structure includes a flat plate-like first portion that defines a guide surface that is orthogonal to the first direction and guides the fan unit in the second direction;
The said restraining member is an electric power apparatus arrange | positioned with respect to the said guide surface of the said 1st part at the same side as the said fan unit. The guide structure is
A second part sandwiching the fan unit in the first direction together with the first part;
A third portion and a fourth portion sandwiching the fan unit in the third direction;
The power device according to claim 1, wherein the restraining member is inserted into a through-hole provided in the fourth portion and protrudes from a surface inside the fourth portion.   The power device according to claim 2, wherein the through hole is a screw hole, and the restraining member includes a screw that is screwed into the screw hole and has a tip protruding from an inner surface of the fourth portion.   The restraining member is disposed between at least one of the first part, the second part, the third part, and the fourth part and the fan unit, and the fan unit is guided to the guide unit. The electric power device according to claim 1, comprising an elastic member that is elastically deformed by being inserted into the structure. The first part is continuous from the third part to the fourth part, and an opening is provided in the first part at a position corresponding to the path of the air flow by the fan unit,
5. The power device according to claim 1, wherein the second part extends from the third part in the third direction and does not reach the fourth part. 6. further,
A housing,
An electrical circuit component housed in the housing;
The guide structure is housed in the housing and fixed to the housing;
The power device according to claim 1, wherein the electric circuit component is disposed at a distance from the first portion.

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